Lyric Movie Review: “Birth of a Nation”

LMR: The ambitious historical drama follows a young slave minister named Nat Turner who led a rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia, in 1831. The rebellion resulted in the deaths of around 60 whites and over 200 blacks in retaliation. Turner himself was caught and hung after two months on the run. The film was highly praised at this years Sundance Film Festival and was bought by Fox Searchlight Pictures for a record $17.5 million. There was some controversy surrounding the film as well, with Parker’s past and shots at the perceived divisiveness of the film.